Power operated window regulator



FeB. 23, 1943.- a SIMPSON 2,311,972

POWER OPERATED WINDOW REGULATOR Filed March 24, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENT OR. Mom 62m, (jnvpao/v Patented Feb. '23, 1943 POWER OPERATEDwINnow REGULATOR Emory Glenn Simpson, Detroit, Michhassignor to GeneralMotors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation 01' DelawareApplication March 24, 1941, Serial No. 384,784

3 Claims.

This invention relates to power operated window regulators. It is notuncommon to operate a window regulator with power such as air, vacuum,and electric motor. It is the object of the present invention to providean improved power operated window regulator which is operated byelectric motor operating a screw jack in which the Jack stem is curvedto accord with the curvature of the door or body. Instead of the limitswitches being operated by the travel of the window, they operate by thetravel of a nut which operates in conjunction with the jack screw. Thiswill more iully appear hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 01' Fig. 1.

Fig.r 3 is a section through the operating nut and jack andassociatedlparts. F1Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 44 of ing alsojournals the gears 2| and 22, the latter of which is supported on thedrive shaft 22 which is connected with motor shaft 24 by the flexiblecoupling spring 25. M is the motor.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 oi Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-4 of Fig. 4. I v

The window panel I is guided in vertical movement by suitable windowruns not shown. Preferably a pair of X levers 2 and 3 help'support,guide, and balance the window panel. Lever 3 is pivoted at 4 on astationary pivot. The lever 2 is pivoted at 6 on a pivot slidable in theguide 8. T

The swinging ends of each of these levers is provided with a roller lengaging in the channel 8 in the bottom of the window. Operating incon-- Junction with these X stabilizing levers is a j ck screw 9 pivotedon the bracket ill on the bottom 01' channel 8. This jack screw iscurved in a curvature which is substantially that of the outside panel ii of the door. Jack screw 9 passes through nut 52 which is threaded onthe screw. Nut i2 is rockingly secured in the hub i3 of driven gear i4and also slidably secured therein. .From Fig. 5 it will beseen that theoutside surface of the nut is arced longitudinally. The nut-is alsocircular in cross section. Hence when seated in the hub oi the gear thenut, together with the jackzshaft,

can tilt with respect to the gear which is desirable and necessary inview of the curvature of the jack shaft. It will also be seen that thenut has keyways I! in'the outside or the nut. the keyways extendinglongitudinally thereof. In these keyways engage the keys I8 0'! the nut.The driven gear I4 is rotatably supporteddn the bearings l1 and II ofthe arms l8 and 20 which iorm the housing containing the nut and gear.This houswith the motor, rotating pinion 22, gear 2i, and

driven gear 5 4. This rotates the nut i2. Nut I2 is held from movementin either direction by the arms 29 and 30. Note arm 30, for instance.Spring 3| bears against washer 32 on the end of the bolt 33 and alsoagainst the arm 20 or the bottom of the housing. Likewise, spring 34(see Fig. 6) bears against washer 35 and also against the top arm i9.These two springs so operating keep the two arms 29 and 3|! pulled downon the ends of the nut and keep the nut in a centralized position. Inthis position the limit switches 38 and 31 are closed. When the windowreaches the limit 01' its travel the Jack screw can move no further.Hence, the nut itself starts to travel along the threads of the jackscrew as the gear l4 continues to rotate. The end of the nut bearsagainst the thrust bearings 38 at the top and the thrust bearin s 39 atthe bottom. 'Hence, when the window reaches the limit of its uppermovement, nut it will throw up the lever arm 29 and disengage the switch36 thereby breaking the circuit and stopping themotor. Likewise, whenthe window reaches the limit of its downward movement, nut i2 willthrust against thrust bearing 39, throw down lever arm 30, and open theswitch 31, thus stopping the motor. 7

There may be manyvariations of this work out. The essential thing is ajack screw which is, under ordinary conditions of load, caused to riseby the revolution of a nut which is driven by suitable powerconnections. This nut is held from axial movement under normal loadconditions, but when the window reaches either limit of its movement theut can overcome the resistance to travel and travel a slight distancethereby throwing a limit switch.

The unit, including the motor M and the operating connections, issecured to the inner panel This cover plate 40 and down movement,electrical means for driving the screwv in rotation, a gear in the hubof which said nut is slidably supported, means for yieldingly holdingthe nut from slidabie movement axially thereof under normal loadconditions, and limit switches which open when the nut is caused totravel when the window panel reaches the limit of its movement and theload increases.

v 2. A window regulator having in combination a Y jack screw which canbe secured to the lower end of a window panel, a rotatable nut fordriving the screw up and down, said nut held from up and down movement,electrical means for driving the screw in rotation, a gear in the hub ofwhich said nut is slidably supported, means for yieldingly holding thenut from slidable movement axially thereof under normal load conditions,limit switches which open when the nut is caused to the nut from axialmovement under normal load conditions and limitswitches which open whenthe nut is caused to travel when the window panel reaches the limit ofits movement and the load increases.

EMORY GLENN SIMPSON.

